Fans of the Franklin Pool at Joe LaPorte Jr. Recreational Area will see a new addition when Memorial Day weekend rolls around this year.

City of Elizabethton Parks and Recreation officials confirmed to the Elizabethton Star Tuesday morning that construction crews have been in the area and are in the process of constructing a splash pad located near Franklin Pool. Rich Construction, based out of the Knoxville area, is handling construction duties for the project.

“Crews were at the recreation area over the weekend,” said Parks & Rec Director Mike Mains. “Pending weather, the project is expected to take between five to six weeks before it’s finished.”

The Elizabethton Star first reported about the addition in late 2016 following the announcement from Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, State Sen. Rusty Crowe and State Reps. John Holsclaw and Timothy Hill that the City of Elizabethton received a Local Park and Recreation Fund (LPRF) grant from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC). The total amount provided to the city was $100,000 and was part of a 50-50 matching grant.

Mains added that the addition of the splash pad will be an added bonus for frequent patrons of the pool, which will serve as a suitable replacement for the aging children’s pool.

“This is something we’ve looked at bringing to the area for awhile now,” Mains said. “We couldn’t have found a better location than at Franklin Pool. It really helps service a need. We’re able to replace the children’s pool with this new addition. We’re hoping the public enjoys the splash pad. This is something that can be a big impact for our community. We’re hoping to have it ready to go for the upcoming pool season, barring anything unforeseen.”

Providing different recreational activities is the name of the game, according to Recreation Manager David Nanney.

“We’re very excited about offering the splash pad to the public,” he said. “Our goal is to keep offering the public different things and have people excited about what Elizabethton has to offer.”

Before the pool season gets underway, Nanney added the department has other activities available, including flag football and co-ed volleyball at the Recreation Center.

To learn more about the different events going on with the department, visit their website or call (423) 547-6441.